Writings, thoughts, and Nerdy Bits

Democratic Primary 2016: I’m committed to Bernie, but concerned.

2016 Democratic Primary – I’m Committed but Concerned

When push comes to shove, let there be no doubt about the fact that I
think we, as one of the wealthiest societies on the planet, should be
doing everything we can to help the poor and under served enjoy a
standard of living that gives them the opportunity to work towards a
better life.

Whenever I talk to conservatives about this, they rail against the
waste and corruption that goes hand in hand with any government
sponsored program. And, to an extent, they’re right. Government
sponsored programs DO tend towards graft and corruption.

However I have yet to actually hear a cogent argument from the
conservative side of the house on how to handle health care for our
less fortunate citizens that doesn’t, in the end analysis, boil down
to “Let them suffer and die.”.

I would be happy to entertain any plan that offers basic health care
to our less privileged citizens and doesn’t involve the government,
but I have yet to see such a beast, and am not holding my breath until
I do.

On that merit alone I am predisposed towards the Sanders campaign and
its goal of universal health care through a single payer system.

But…

I’m also very concerned. I fear that the Sanders campaign has thus
far only been exposed to the relative softballs lobbed their way by
the Clinton campaign. And I’mnot alone.

The take-away here is not that we should all vote for Hillary
because Bernie is unelectable, but that the Sanders campaign needs to
really up its game and be better prepared for the torrent of fire and
brimstone they are going to be subjected to should Bernie win this
primary.

As for me…

I’ll be voting for Bernie this primary season, and if his ideas
resonate with you, so should you. You should, however, be prepared to
see him dragged through the muck and mire and have his dirty laundry
paraded before the court of public opinion for all to see.

There are too many key issues of great import to me where Hillary’s
stance is a polar and exact opposite of my own, particularly right to
privacy and encryption issues. She has made it clear that she doesn’t
see this as a priority, and if she had her way we’d be back in the
pre-Snowden dark ages of unrestrained surveillance by our government
against its own citizens. Those of us who care about this stuff have
also not forgotten the Clipper chip fiasco under Bill’s regime – to be
honest I half expect to see something even more insidious should
Hillary be elected.

Make no mistake…

Should Hillary win the primary, I will vote for her. I have taken a
long, hard, careful look at the entire Republican field, and while the
truth of the matter is that I would LOVE to have an alternative to
Hillary should she win – I don’t. She represents the only sane choice.
I will not vote for a candidate who has sworn to fight for the repeal
of Rowe V. Wade or the ACA.

The right to basic health care and reproductive choice are the bedrock
upon which any civilized society must rest. On that issue I will not
waver.